Packaging machine



Nov. 6, 1928.

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Nov. 6, 1928.

13 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 2, 1927 NOV. 6, 1928. 1,690,895

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Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,895

L. FISCHER PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,895

L. FISCHER PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 192'? 13 Sheets-Sheet e avwento'a l @Jcka 851 a W w Nov. 6, 1928.

L. FISCHER PACKAGING MACHINE 1:5 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 2, 1927 Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,895

L. FISCHER 1 ACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 13 eets-Sheet 8 A32 A33 -11 i II III I 1IF\IR i\\ i 53 NDV. 6, 192a 1,690,895

FISCHER PACKAGING MACHlNE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 13 $heots- -Sheet 9 Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,895

L. FISCHER PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 13 Sheets-Sheet 10 NOV. 6, I L. FISCHER PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1927 13 Sheetsheet 11 r v r L;

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Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,895

- L. FISCHER PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 192'! 13 he tsh et 12 Nov; 6, 1928. 1,690,895

L. FISCHER PACKAGING manner:

Fiied Feb. 2, 1927 1:5 Sheets-Sheet 13 nwmto o v, Jazz 'f'%er Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED SiTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS FISCHER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN TO WRIGHTS AUTO- MATIC TOBACCO PACKING MACHINE COMPAIIY, 01'" DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, A

CORPORATION OF VEST VIRGINIA.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

Application filed February 2, 1927.

The present invention relates to improve ments in packaging apparatus and more particularly to machines for packing tobacco or other materials of a granular or generally similar nature into wrappers to form the same into packages.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine of this class which is capable of rapidly and economically producing packages of tobacco or other material which are substantially solid and firm and wherein the wrapper is so formed and closed as to efiectually prevent sifting or leakage of tobacco or other contents therefrom during shipment, storage or handling. WVith this general object in View, the invention provides novel and improved means for partially forming the wrapper and presenting it to the packer or other means which introduces the tobacco or other contents therein whereby these operations may be performed quickly without spilling and consequent loss of tobacco; means for folding the sides of the filled wrapper to close it whereby these operations may not only be performed quickly and with certainty but the wrapper is drawn tightly around the tobacco or other contents, thus producing a substantially solid and firm package; means for folding the ends of the wrapper and retaining the ends in folded condition in a manner which closes the ends of the wrapper and avoids spilling of the tobacco or other contents; means for indenting or countcrsinking the folded ends of the wrapper while the latter and its contents are confined against lateral expansion or distortion, whereby the tobacco contained inthe package is compressed or densitied, thus im- 1 parting solidity and firmness to the package and also imparting a permanent set to the end folds of the wrapper which tends to retain these end folds in folded or end-closing position thereby precluding accidental opening of either end of the package and pre venting leakage of the tobacco or other contents therefrom; and the invention provides other means as will hereinafter appear which facilitate the foregoing operations and such other operations as may be employed to con1- plete the making of packages possessing the advantageous characteristics hereinbefore referred to.

To these and other ends, the invention Seria No. 165,410.

consists in certain improvements and combinations and ar angements of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification. i

In the accompanying drawings 2- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a packaging machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, a portion ofthe operating mechanism being broken away for clearness;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from theleft in that figure;

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section through the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2, the section being taken on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2 and viewed toward the left in that figure;

Fig. t represents in detail and on an enlarged scale a section taken on the line l4 o f Fi 2 and viewed toward the left in that .ngure;

F 5 is a detail View of the operating means for the wrapper registering fingers which appear at the right hand end in Fig. at; 1

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the wrapper grippers and the wrapper nipping plunger after they have operated to introduce a wrapper into the mold, the wrapper platform being shown in lowered or depressed position;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the mechanisms shown in Fig. 6 as viewedtoward the left in that igure;

Fig. 8 represents a section taken on the line S-8 of Fig. 4; and looking downwardly, certain parts shown in Fig. l being omitted from this figure; s

Fig. 9 represents a section taken on the line 99 of Fig. l, certain parts appearing in thelatter figure being omitted;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the cooperative folders which elfect the folding of the wrapper around the sides of the package, the operating means for these folders and a portion of the mold wheel with which these folders cooperate being shown;

Fig. 11 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. was viewed toward the right in Fig. 10;

12 is a detail view showing in side elevation a portion of the mold wheel and the cooperative tucker which effects the final folding of the wrapper around the package, the tucker being shown in raised or inoperative position in this figure;

Fig. 13 is aview similar to Fig. 12 but showing the tucker in position to effect the final folding of the wrapper around the package;

Fig. 14 is an end View of Fig. 12 as viewed from the right;

Figs. 15 to 17 inclusive are diagrammatic views representing the operations of the cooperative folders while wrapping the wrapper around the package;

Fig. 18 isa view similar to Figs. 15 to 17 inclusive, this view showing the tucker in position to effect the final folding of the wrapper around the package;

Fig. 19 is an end view and Fig. 20 is a side view of the folders which fold and closethe end of the wrapper, a portion of the mold wheel and the operating means for the end folders being also shown, the end folders being shown in retracted position;

'Fig 21 is, a view similar to Fig. 20 but showing the side end foldersin position to fold the side ends of the wrapper;

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 21 but showing the side end folders retracted and the last end folder in position to make the last end fold;

Fig. 23 represents a cross section through Fig. 20 on the line 23-23 and looking downwardly;

Fig. 24: is an elevation of the mold wheel guard, and the countersinks, the latter being retracted;

Fig. 25 is a side elevation of a portion of the -mold wheel showing the mold wheel guard cooperative therewith;

Fig. 26 is a view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2 lshowing the countersinks forced inwardly into the ends of a package;

Fig. 27 represents on an enlarged scale a section taken through one of the countersinks, this'view also showing the adjacent portion. of the mold wheel;

F 28 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the mold wheel and showing a portion of the cam which operates the bottom end folders,

Fig. 29 represents a section through the mold wheel on the line 29-29 of F 28 and looking toward the left;

Fig. represents a fragmentary sectional view through the periphery of the mold wheel showing one of the pivoted mold lids;

Fig. 31 represents a fragmentary section through the mold wheel on the line 31-31 of Fig. 29;

Fig. 32 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the wrapper is carried into' the moldaby the nipping plunger;

:Fig. 33"shows diagrammatically the bottom end folds made in the wrapper;

Fig. 3a shows diagrammatically the first top fold made in the wrapper;

Fig. 35 shows diagrammatically the sec ond top fold made in the wrapper;

Fig. 36 shows diagrammatically the last top fold made in the wrapper;

Fig. 37 shows diagrammatically the side end folds made in the wrapper, and

Fig. '38 shows diagrammatically the top end fold of the wrapper.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the different views.

The present invention is applicable generally to packaging'machines of thekinds in which a wrapper, composed of a label, sheet of paper or other suitable flexible material, is folded about an article or a charge of material to form a package, although the invention is particularly applicable to tie packaging of loose or granular material such as tobacco and the like. The preferred embodiment of the invention is herein shown from a main shaft 3 which is journalled in.

and extends through the side members the frame, this shaft being driven by belt oulleys a or any other suitable means.

The invention, in the instance shown, is ap plied to a packaging machine of the type shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 586,- 0. 6 granted July 6,1897, to W. Rose, it employing a rotary mold wheel 5 which has a series of pockets or molds 6 formed in and spaced circumferentially of its periphery, these pockets being adapted to successively receive a sheetof paper or the like which is to form the wrapper,,a charge of material which is introduced or packed into the mold and folding mechanisms to operate on the wrapper to complete the folding thereof and thus form a complete package. The mold wheel is intermittently rotated to bring the pockets therein successively into the different operative positions, the mold wheel in the present instance being keyed or otherwise fixed on the mold wheel shaft 7 which latter is journaled in the sides of the frame, one end of this shaft being connected by a Geneva movement or other suitable mechanism to the main shaft 3 whereby the mold ing movements during operation of the machine. In the present instance a Geneva movement employed for this purpose which comprises Geneva disk 8 which is fixed on the mold wheel sha t T, a wheel 9 carrying pin 10 which successively enQ'ages the radial slots 11 in the periphery of the Genevadisk. and a locking pin 12 which is moved successively into the slots 11 in the Geneva disk to lock the mold wheel in each of its operative positions, the locking and unlocking movements of the pin 12 being controlled by a weight 13 on a lever l-it which carries the pin 12 and is pivoted on the main frame 2.1315, the rocking movements of the lever ll to effect locking and unlocking of the mold wheel being controlled by a cam 16 on the main shaft 3 which cooperates with a roller 16 carried by an arm of the lore;- let. The Geneva movement just described or any equivalent of it may be employed to effect in termittent advancing movements of the mold wheel to bring the circumferentially snared pockets therein successively 'iito the different operative positions and to lock the mold wheel during the intervening periods.

Each pocket of the mold wheel, according to the present invention, has a h nged or movable lid 17 which forms one of the side walls thereof, each of these lids in the present instance being carried by a lever 18 which is pivoted intermediately of its length to the mold wheel by the pivot pin 19 and the inner end of each lever has a treadle or actuating projection 20 thereon which is arranged to be engaged and pressed inwardly or toward the center of the mold wheel, each time the mold wheel reaches a predetermined position in its rotation, by a pin 21 carried on one end of a lever 22. This lever is pivoted on the main frame at 23 and has a roller 2st on its opposite end which rides against a cam 25, the latter being fixed on a shaft 26, and the roller 2 held in engagement with this cam by a tension spring 27 which acts on the lever. Each successive ad *ance of the mold wheel will bring one of the projections 20 into polion to be engaged by the pin 21, and when 1e cam 25 reaches a predetermined point in ts rotation, the depressed or low portion of l is cam will reach the roller 24 and the spring 27 is then permitted to act to force the pin 21 against the projection 20 and thereby swing the lid of the respective mold into open position. A compression spring 28 may be arranged to act on the lid to hold it in closed position except when the pin 21 is permitted to act to open the lid it being under stood that the strength of the spring 27 is superior to that of each of the springs 28. mach pocket of the mold wheel is also preferably provided with inturned lips 29 which overhang the respective mold pockets, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The paper or other flexible sheets or labels which are to form the wrappers of the pack ages may no supplied successively to the mold wheel in different ways, but it is preferable to supply the wrappers by a feed trough 30 which is of a width corresponding to that of the wrappers and contains in its bottom the upper stretch of a conveyer chain 31 which has hooks or projections 32 located thereon at appropriate intervals whereby they will engage the rear edges of the wrappers and thus advance them edgcwise through the feed trough while the wrappers lie flatwise on the bottom thereof. The conveyer chain 31, which may be endless, is preferably driven cont.inu usly by the shaft 33 which has a sprocket wheel 3% thereon over which the end of the conveyor chain adjacent to the mold wheel passes, it being understood that the opposite end of the conveyer chain may pass over an idler sprocket at the opposite or outer l of the feed trough. The shaft 33 i;

driven continuously at a suitable speed by a I fixed thereon and meshing with a 11' 36 fixed on the shaft 26, and the latter shaft is driven continuously by a sprocket wheel 37 which is fixed on its outer end. this sprocket wheel cooperating with a chain 38 which cooperates with the sprocket teeth 39 which may be formed on the periphery of the wheel 9, the latter being fixed on the continuously running main shaft 3. The upper stretch of the chain 38 may be guided and the tension of the chain may be adjusted by an idler sprocket wheel 4:0 which is carried by an arm ll the hub of which is clamped on the hub of the mold wheel hearing so that the idler sprocket wheel e0 may bear on the upper side of this stretch of the chain.

Extending inwardly from the end of the feed trough 30 adjacent to the mold wheel are a pair of wrapper supporting arms 42. These arms are spaced apart suliiciently to straddle or pass downwardly at tlie opposi .e sides of the mold wheel. These arms normally form continuations of the bottom of the feed trough 30, the upper edges of these arms lying in the amc plane with the wrapper supporting sur .e of the feed trough as will be seen from Fig. 4, and the ends of the wrapper supporting arms are turned upwardly to form stops 4&3 which arrest the advance of the wrappers toward the mold wheel and serve as ga to properly position the wrappers relatively to the respective pockets in the mold wheel. lVhile these wrapper pporting arms 42 occupy positions in substantial alincment with the wrapper feed trough during the feeding of a wrapper to such arms, the latter may be lowered or depr .al in order to transfer the wrapper to the mold wheel and to avoid interference between these arms and the devices which introduce the wrapper into the mold pocket. In the construction shown, for example. these arms are fixed to a sleeve 43 which is loosely mounted on a shaft ist and the sleeve 43 carries a roller which mounted to rock in the oppei its sides and the cam is appropriately shaped to raise and lower the wrapper supporting arms at appropriate intervals.

Adjacent to the discharge end of the conveyer chain 31 are mounted a pair of wrapper registering fingers (Figs. d, 5, 6 and 7) which serve to finally advance the wrapper against the stops d3 on the ends of the wrapper supporting arms, 42 and thereby register the wrappers. As shown, these registering fingers designated a? are fixed on a shaft 48 of the feed trough 30, these lingers being ranged to swingltoward the bottom of feed trough and into position behind the re edge of a wrapper advanced by the conve er chain, the final portion of the swir movement of these fingers serving to bring the forward edge of the' wrapper evenly against the stops 43 on the wrapper support ing arms. At other times these will occupy the relatively elevated and rv racted position shown in Figures l, and 6. These fingers then clear the bottom of the feen trough to permit a wrapper to be fed into a position in front of them. These registering fingers maybe actuated at appropriate intervals by any suitable means a cam 4-.9 being provided for this purpose in the present instance which is fixed to a sprocket wheel 50 which is mounted loosely on the shaft 33, this sprocket wheel being engaged by a chain 51 which is driven by a sprocket wheel the latter being fixed on the shaft 26. A bellcrank lever 53 is fined on one end of the shaft LS-and one arm of this lever is pivotally connected to a fork 54 which straddles the shaft 38, the fork carrying a roller 55 which rides on the cam 19. A tension spring 56 is connected to the otherarin of the bellrank lever this spring acting to hold the roller in contact with the cam as. It will be understood that when the roller 55 engages the low part of the cam d9 theregistering n 4t? will. occupy their upper retracted position, and when the roller 55 rides up on the high part of the cam, the registering lingers swung downwardly and forwardly to bring them into engagement with a wrapper and to register the wrapper with the stops L3 on the inner ends of the wrapper supporting arms these arms 42 and out against the stops 43,

the forward edge of the wrapper is so guided that it will not catch upon the gap in the mold wheel formed by the mold pocket, and the forward portion of the wrapper will be caused to overlie the periphery of the mold wheel. Preferably a guard 57 orovided opposite to the periphery of the mole wheel to prevent deflection of the forward end of the wrapper while it is being advanced to the stops 43, thus insuring engagement of the wrapper with these stops. The guard may, as shov-Jn, be formed of a plurality of bars 58 which are supported immovably by cross 1"OS which bridge the sides of the feed trough the lower edges of these bars being preferably curved to conform with the curvature of the aeriphery of the mold wheel.

Above the feed trough and working in the me w. ticel planes with the respective sup iorting arms 42 is mounted a i eventing displacement of the wrapp These grippers are of a width which orresponds substantially with the circum- 1' tial dimension of the mold wheel t, the in .rginal portions of the wrapper are form the end flaps thereof being e about these grippers when the wrapper olc ed to form the bottom and two op posite sides thereof. The grippers occupy positions above the bottom of the feed tree a and above the upper edges of the respective arms 42 until a wrapper has been fed beneath them and into positioncn the support arms 4:2 after which the grippers descend causing them to momentarily grip the 7 upper bet veen their lower corners and the oer edges of the arms 42 is shown in i whereupon the arms d2 to dowhile the grippers continue their descent and thus remain in wrapper gripping n igement therewith, arms while the grippers are in engagement therewith c using the wrapper thereon to be lowered on to the mold wheel and the grippers act to carry the intern'iediate portion of the wrapper into the mold pocket shown in F 6 after which the descent of the grippers 6O ceases but the arms 42 descend sufficiently to disengage from the wrapper, as is shown in this figure. A nipping plunger 62 is also provided it occupying a position between the grippers and having a shape which corresponds substantially with the shape of the mold pocket. The nipping plunger is arranged to engage the portion of the wrapper which lies between the grippers and the nipping plunger has a move ment which carries it into the mold pocket. As the nipping plunger enters the mold pocket it forces the intermediate portion of the wrapper into the pocket, the portion of the wrapper beneath the plunger being carthe descent of they ried to the bottom of the pocket and the adjacent portions of the wrapper being folded sothat they lie against the opposite radial sides of the pocket. One edge of the nipping plunger has a lip 63 thereon which overhangs its adjacent side. This lip is arranged to assume a position immediately above and in close proximity to the forward overhanging lip 29 of the mold pocket when the nipping plunger has fully entered the mold pocket. This lip on the plunger thereby co-acts with this lip 29 on the mold wheel to nip and sharply bend the wrapper over the adjacent lip 29. This nipping operation is shown in Figure 6, the nipping plunger being then fully entered in the mold pocket and at this time the forward edges of the grippers 60 are on substantially the same level with the forward or lower surface of the nipping plunger. The wrapper designated :0 is shown in this figure as folded immediately against the bottom and two radial sides of the mold pocket, and the forward and rear ends of the wrapper are shown projecting from the forward and rear sides of the mold pocket. The nipping or sharp folding of the wrapper between the nipping lips 29 and63 is also shown in this After the wrapper has been introduced into the mold pocket and folded therein in the manner described, the grippers (30 and the nipping plunger 62 are elevated, they being thereby retracted from the mold pocket and returned to positions above the bottom of the feed trough so thatanother wrapper may be advanced along the feed trough without interference from the grippers or plunger, the descent and ascent of the grippers and plunger referred to taking place while the mold wheel is at rest in one of its operative positions. After the mold wheel has advanced a step, the wrapper supporting arms 42 are raised through the action of the cam 46, these arms being thereby returned to their former position in alinement with the bottom of the feed trough so that they will be in position to receive the next wrapper which is being advanced along it.

The grippers 60 and plunger 62 may be operated at appropriate intervals by different means. As shown, the grippers 60 are fixed to an arm 64 which is provided with a hub 65 the latter being loosely mounted on the shaft 44, the hub 65 carrying a roller 66 which is held by a spring 67 against a suitably shaped cam 68, the latter being fixed on the shaft 26. The plunger 62 in the present instance is carried by an arm 69 which has a rub 70 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 44, this hub carrying a roller 71 which is held by a spring 7 2 against a suitably shaped cam 7 3, the latter being fixed on the shaft 26. It will be understood that the cams 6S and 7 3 are so shaped as to cause the grippers 60 and plunger 62 to advance and recede substantially as above described.

The mold wheel is provided with pairs of end folders 74;, there being a pair of these end folders for each mold pocket in the wheel, and these folders are mounted to operate radially outwardly past the ends of the respective mold pockets to make the bottom or first end folds in the wrapper. These end folders may be mounted as shown in Figures 28, 29 and 2-30 wherein each pair of these folders are fixed to a slide 7 5 which is re ciprocahlc in a radial slot 76 in the mold wheel, and the movements of the folders 74: in a direction radially of the mold wheel are controlled by a cam 77 the groove 78 in which receives and forms a track for rollers 79 which are connected to and project radially from the respective slides 75. The major portion 7 8 of the cam groove is concentric with the mold wheel shaft 7 and moreover this portion of the cam groove is nearest the center of the mold wheel. Another portion '78 of this cam groove is off-set outwardly or toward the periphery of the mold wheel, and a third portion 78 of this cam groove is further off-set outwardly toward the periphery of the mold wheel. Those bottom ends folders 7 4 whose rollers rest in the ortion 78 of the cam groove will occupy ully retracted positions where their outer edges are withdrawn inwardly past the bottoms of the mold pockets, as will be clear from Fig. 28 while the bottom folders whose rollers engage the portion 78 of the cam will be extended outwardly past the ends of the mold pockets and the outer edges of these bottom end folders will be substantially even with the periphery of the mold wheel; and the end folders whose roller engages the portion 78 of the cam groove will be extended beyond the periphery of the mold wheel, as will be clear from Figure 28.

The cam 77 is mounted rotatably on the hub of the mold wheel in order that the latter may rotate independently of the cam, and means is provided for imparting a forward and rearward rotation to the cam at appropriate intervals. As shown, a sleeve 80 is mounted loosely on the mold wheel shaft 7, this sleeve having an arm 81 which is engaged between a pair of set screws 82 the latter being mounted in lugs formed on the cam, adjustment of these set screws serving to adjust the angular relationship between the cam and the sleeve 80. The latter has an actuating arm 83 bolted or otherwise fixed to it, this arm carrying a roller 84 which rides on a cam 86 and is held in contact therewith by a spring 87, the cam 86 being fixed on the continuously rotating main shaft 3 and shaped to impart to and fro rotary movements to the cam. These to and fro rotary movements of the cam serve to time the operations of the bottom end folders 74C in relation to the movements and the operative positions occupied by the mold wheel.

The bottom end folders 74 for the mold which is in position to receive the wrapper "from the wrapper feeding means are rewheel advances, the cam 77 is rotated, through the action of'the cam 86, to cause the roller '79 connected to the bottom end folders for the mold. in wrapper receiving position to pass from the section 78 outwardly to the section 78 of the cam groove, these bottom end folders being thereby forced outwardly past the opposite ends of the mold and they are preferably forced outwardly to an extent sufficient to bring their outer edges beyond the periphery of the mold wheel. This outward movement of the bottom end folders takes place while the nipping plunger 62 is still contained in the mold and in conse quence the first or bottom end folds a 33) aremade in the wrapper, these portions of the-wrapper being folded against the re spective ends of the nipping plunger which serves as a former which'delines the outline of the package. The nipping plunger is then elevated, thus withdrawing it from the mold, after which the mold and cam 77 advance a step, through the operation of the Geneva movement, thereby bringing the mold containing the partly folded wrapper into a position to receive a charge of tobacco or other material. Duringthis advance of the mold wheel'and cam 77, he cam 7? cperates to retain the bottom end folders 74 in their. outwardly extended position. and

the charge of tobacco or other material is introduced into the wrapper contained in the mold while these bottom. end folders are in this outward extended position as is shown in Fig. l, the bottom end folders thus acting to hold the first or bottom end folds a of the wrapper in upright folded position and by arranging the bottom end folders so that they project beyond the upper edges ofthese bottom folds of the wrapper and upwardly are being filled with granular tobacco, the press serving to compact the tobacco and to form it into a solid or iirm body within the wrapper. The press which is shown in the present instance comprises a hopper 88 to which the tobacco or other material is sup plied, a press member 89 the upper surface 90 of which covers and uncovers andthereby controls the delivery of the tobacco from the supply hopper, this press member being mounted on and carried by an arm 91 which swings from a shaft 92, the upper surface 90 of the press member being concentric with the shaft 92 so that the surface 90 maintains contact with the lower edge of the hopper during its swing. The lower edge of the press member 89 moves over a surface 93 which is also concentric with the shaft 92, it serving to remove the tobacco or other ma-. terial that may lodge on the surface 93 and to prevent leakage of tobacco between this surface and the lower edge of the member 89. The press member 89 has a relatively close lit with and operates between the pair of press side plates 94 which are relatively fixed and may be supported on the cross member mounted on the main frame. A discharge throat 96 is provided at the bottom ofthe press, the press member 89 while moving forwardly or toward the left in Figure 4 acting to discharge the'tobacco or other material into the discharge throat, and when the press member 89 has reached the limit of its forward stroke, that is, the position shown in Figure 4, its forward face is alined with or forms a substantially unbroken continuation of the wall 97 of the press throat. The press is provided with a lid member 98 which cooperates with the press member 89 and with the discharge throat 96 to form a passageway through which the tobacco or material is conducted or directed to the mold wheel, and this lid also is movable into a position to close the discharge throat and thereby pre- 7 vent leakage of the tobacco until the mold in the mold wheel is ready to receive a charge. Preferably, and as shown, the lid member is fixed to a shaft 99 and the latteris rotatably mounted in the press side plates 94. The swing of thelid member in a direction away from the press member 89 is limited by a boss 100 on the outer side of the lid member which is arranged to abut against a stop pin 101 the latter being fixed to one of thepress side plates, these stops being properly positioned to determine the width of the pas sageway between the press members 89 and 98. The position of the lid member 98 is controlled by an arm 102 which is fixed to the arm 91 which actuates the press member-89, the free end of the arm 102 acting on a crank 103 which is lined to the lid supporting shaft 99, whereby when the press member 89 retracted to uncover more or less the bottom of the supply hopper 88 and thus permit a loo supply of tobacco or other material to feed therefrom, the lid member 98 will swing toward the right in Fig. 4 under the action of a spring (not shown) until its lower edge contacts with the wall 97 of the press dis charge throat, the lid member then closing the press throat and preventing eakage or escape of tobacco or other material therefrom. The lid member is in such closed position during each advance of the mold wheel which carries a filled mold pocket from beneath the press and brings another empty mold poclsct containing a wrapper into filling position beneath the press; and when the press member 89 is swung to ard the left in Figure "l to insure the deposit of all of the tobacco or other material fed from the supply hopper into the press discharge throat, thelid member is swung toward the left in that figure until arrested by the stops 100 and 101, the lid member being shown in this position in Fi 1. Then the press member 89 and lid member 98 are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, a passageway is formed through which a plunger 10a may reciprocate, this plunger serving, when moved downwardly, to transfer the tobacco or material from the press into the mold pocket and to pack it in the partly folded wrapper therein, and when the plunger is mov d upwardly or retracted, the lid member 98 is unobstructed so that it may close the press throat. The plunger 10s may be operated from a rock shaft which is journalled in the side members 1 of the frame, this shaft hav'ng a plunger actuating arm 106 thereon. Erie construction and, operation of the press may be substantially the same as that shown and described in the patent hereinbefore referred to. The arm 91 which operates the press members 89 and 98 may be actuated, while the mold wheel is being advanced through each step, by an arm 107 fixed on the shaft exteriorly of the frame and carrying a roller 108 which engages in a suitably shaped cam groove formed in the outer face of a wheel 109, the latter being fined on the main shaft 3. The plunger 101 may be reci n'ocated, while the mold wheel is at rest and one. of the pockets therein is in charge receiving position, by a crank 110 which is fixed on an end of the shaft 105, this crank being connected by a link 111 to a lever 112 which may be pivot-ed on the pin 113, this lever having a roller which rides in a cam groove formed in the inner side of the wheel 109, substantially as shown in the patent hereinbefore referred to.

During the advance of the mold wheel which brings an empty but partially folded wrapper from the wrapper applying pos-i tion to fillingposition. and also while this pocket in the mold wheel occupies filling position, the bottom end folcers Tel are held in their extreme outer positions by reason of the engagement of the roller '1' 9 connected to these bottom end folders with the section 78 of the cam 78, this section of the cam '78 having the greatest radius. These bottom end folders will therefore not only serve to hold the bottom end folds of the wrapper in proper form during the transfer of the partially folded wrapper from the wrapper applying position to the filling position, but they will also erve as gates or walls at the ends of the mold during filling thereof and they will thus prevent spilling or leakage of the to bacco or other material at these points. The next step in the advance of the mold wheel brings the roller 79 for these end folders into the portion 78" of the cam 78, this section of the cam be'ng of intermediate radius, and the end folders will in consequence be partly retracted or moved in 'ardly so that their outer edges are substantially even with the outer periphery of the mold wheel.

l lach partially folded wrapper filled with the tube we or other contents, after it has been removed from the press or packer is acted on by a pair of top folders 1L1 and 115, these bei .hown particularly in Figures l, 10, 11 and 15 to 18 inclusive. The folder 11% serves to lay one end of the wrapper over the top of the charge contained therein thus forming the fold Z) as shown in Fig. 3 1, and the folder 115 serves to lay the other end of the wrap per over the charge contained therein and over the fold 6, thus producing the top fold c as shown in Fig. These folders operate in close proximity to the periphery of the mold wheel and concentrically thereof. The foldor 114; is carried on an arm 116 the hub 117 of which is mounted to rock loosely on the mold wheel shaft 7 and the lower end of this arm below the shaft 7 is operatively connected to a fork 118 whichstraddles the continuously revolving main shaft 3 and carries a roller 119 which cooperates with a cam 120, the latter being fixed on the shaft 3. A tension spring 121 attached to the lower end of the arm 112 acts to hold the roller 119 in contact with the periphery of the cam 120. The cam is so shaped and set as to cause the folder 1 it to swing either to the position shown in Figure 10, in which position it innnediately adjacent to the mold which is in filling position beneath the press, the folder 11 then serving to back up th forward end of the wrapper which projects beyond the mold and thus prevent spilling or leakage of the tobacco dining the filling operation, and to cause this folder 114 to be moved during the following advance of the mold wheel but at a retarded rate so that the outwardly or upwardly projecting forward end of the wrapper will pass under this folder, and as the mold wheel is completing advance, the folder 114.- overtakes the outwardly or upwardly projecting rear end of the wrapper and as the colder 1 1, completes its motion in this direction it lays this rear projecting end 

